ArtsHERE

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) awards thousands of grants each year to provide diverse opportunities for arts participation. However, historically underserved communities with rich and dynamic cultural identities continue to report lower arts participation rates than other groups. To address these disparities and better understand these dynamics, the NEA, in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the five other U.S. Regional Arts Organizations (RAOs), launched a new grant program, ArtsHERE.

ArtsHERE supports organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to equity within their practices and programming and have undertaken consistent engagement with underserved groups/communities. Grants are for specific projects that will strengthen the organization’s capacity to sustain meaningful community engagement and increase arts participation for underserved groups/communities. Grantees have access to peer-learning and technical assistance opportunities designed to share knowledge and build networks. 

As a pilot program, ArtsHERE will be documented and evaluated by the National Endowment for the Arts to better understand the project activities supported and how grantees approached this work.

Who ArtsHERE is For

ArtsHERE invests in organizations that have

• Demonstrated a commitment to equity within their practices and programming
• Undertaken consistent engagement with underserved groups/communities.

Applications are welcome from organizations that are diverse in terms of geography, scale of operations, and focus of arts programming; as well as organizations that work at the intersection of the arts and other domains, such as community development, health/well-being, climate/environment, or economic development.

What ArtsHERE Provides

Funded organizations will receive:

• Investment: Managed by South Arts, ArtsHERE will award approximately 95 nonprofit organizations with nonmatching grants of $65,000 to $130,000. Grants are for specific projects that will strengthen each organization’s capacity to sustain meaningful community engagement and increase arts participation for underserved groups/communities.
• Learning: ArtsHERE will offer grantees peer-learning and technical assistance opportunities, designed to share knowledge and build networks.
• Evaluation: As a pilot program, ArtsHERE will be documented and evaluated by the National Endowment for the Arts to better understand the project activities supported through this program and how grantees approached the work, and to inspire others. The evaluation will result in a summary of lessons learned and may inform the future of ArtsHERE and other similar funding programs and practices.
   

Timeline

• Statement of Interest Opens
  November 15, 2023
• ArtsHERE Overview Webinar
  November 30, 2023
• Statement of Interest Closes
  January 19, 2024
• Finalists Notified
  March 1, 2024
• Full Application (By Invitation) Opens
  March 8, 2024
• Full Application (By Invitation) Closes
  April 19, 2024
• ArtsHERE Awards Made
  August 1, 2024